1. Medical surveillance of hairdressers
The approach and experience in Belgium
dr. Mathieu Verbrugghe

2. 50,000+ 102 520,000 146 prevention advisors 597employees 289
Mensura in numbers
102
centres across Belgium
520,000
medical exams each year
50,000+
customers
597employees
146 prevention advisors
physicians and paramedics
289

3. Content
Legislation
Medical surveillance
Figures
Conclusions

4. Legislation Law on Well-being at Work (4 August 1996)
One codex including:
Dynamic Risk Management
Biological Agents
Chemical Agents
Occupational Health Surveillance
Federal Agency for Occupational Risks
codes:
1.202: Skin disorders in the work environment caused by substances not included in other items
: Asthma as a result of specific hypersensitivity caused by substances not included in other headings
: Conditions affecting the tendons, the tendinous sheaths and the muscular and tendinous insertions of the upper limbs due to excessive strain of these structures by movements of a repetitive nature requiring strength, or by unfavourable positions

5. Medical surveillance – in function of risk analysis
Hairdresser
Risk code
Description
Medical Exam
Ergonomic strain
Questionnaire locomotor complaints
Static load
Repetitive movements
Chemical agents
In function of the product
Soaps – detergents – surfactants: anionic, cationic and nonionic
Examination of the skin
Hair and hair fragments
Lung function test
Noise
Audiometry

6. Figures: General
3029 hairdressers affiliated with Mensura (2756 employers)
Number of periodic medical examinations

7. Figures: Locomotor complaints 2010-2016
Shoulder 14,11%
Neck 15,72%
Upper back 5,92%
Elbow 1,44%
Lower back 16,08%
Hip/thigh 1,61%
Wrist/hand 7,07%
Knee 3,04%
Ankle/foot 2,99%

8. Figures: Locomotor complaints 2010-2015
Exclusie 2016 wegens lage aantallen => vertekening cijfers

9. Figures: Conclusions medical examinations
Periodic medical examinations :
declared fit
- 22 declared unfit: 19 temporary and 3 permanent
Medical examinations at work resume (n=28):
- 16 declared fit
- 9 declared unfit: 8 temporary and 1 permanent
- 3 missing values

10. Figures: Occupational diseases Belgium
Fund for Occupational Diseases 2016:
1.202: Skin disorders in the work environment caused by substances not included in other items
n=289
: Asthma as a result of specific hypersensitivity caused by substances not included in other headings
n=8
: Conditions affecting the tendons, the tendinous sheaths and the muscular and tendinous insertions of the upper limbs due to excessive strain of these structures by movements of a repetitive nature requiring strength, or by unfavourable positions
n=1.043
FBZ: niet uitsluitend kappers!
Het gaat in totaal om 114 nieuwe gevallen. Dit zijn hoofdzakelijk werkgerelateerde
huidziekten (bijna 80%) (zie tabel 2).

11. Figures: Declarations occupational diseases
Mensura declarations of occupational diseases of hairdressers to the Fund for Occupational Diseases ( ):
(tendons): 1
1.701 (latex allergy): 1
(asthma): 4
1.202 (skin disorders): 12
Mensure aangiften FBZ: specifiek voor kappers, ander beeld dan vorige: meer huidaandoeningen

12. Conclusions
Lower back pain, shoulder and neck pain, and wrist/hand pain are frequently reported among hairdressers
Decrease in lower and upper back complaints – increase in shoulder complaints
Small number of medical examinations at work resume (≥ 1 month on sick leave)
High recovery rate

13. Thank you for your attention!